Not happy at QANTAS So called customer service

[JohnK]

I am sure the call recording *could* be extracted. But how much effort are they will to go to in order to determine the truth in this case ???

I see no reason why Qantas would not already have a program in place to enquire on customer conversations.

This feature has been part of our system for the last couple of years. I use it quite regularly in my role of investigating "bugs" or "anomalies" in the software....

 

[Commuter]

Having a discussion and/or trying to reason with the security staff was a complete waste of time and sensing this I backed off. I feel for Annstan who spent 2 hours dealing with security. It seems to me at times like some security personnel take pleasure in making life difficult.
Whilst none of these issues are Qantas' fault they were and are enough to put me off flying out of any London airport with an infant.

I can sympathise with that. The trouble in Annstan's case is that by complaining to Qantas as if security issues were their fault, I believe it detracts from the main that she has with QF (change fee issues).

Complaints about security do need to be made, but to BAA perhaps, rather than QF.

A question - how do you go through London with the amenity kit. THe business and first amenity kits contain lots of liquid goodies. I don't like to open the amenity kits - I tend to give them away back home. Does LHR require the amenity kit to be opened and liquids to be pulled out?

I open the amenity kit sometime during the flight and pull out the liquids and put them in the 1 litre bag along with other liquids. I don't think they will make an exception just because it's an airline supplied amenity kit.

 

[Mal]

I don't think they will make an exception just because it's an airline supplied amenity kit.

I've been through at least one security checkpoint without removing the amenity liquids. I think they're small enough to not attract too much attention.

Normally though I remove the Amenity Kit and have it screened as a separate item. Perhaps that helps?

 

[chrissimon]

Ah well I finally got a reply from Qantas after submitting a complaint on the 28th September, seems like a standard response


30 October 2009



Dear Mr


Thank you for taking the time to contact us.

I was concerned to learn about your recent experience with Qantas. Please accept my apologies that you did not receive the level of service expected from a premium airline.

We strive to provide exceptional service and customer feedback plays an important role in our continuous improvement process. It also helps us strengthen our commitment to customer service. I would like to assure you that your feedback has been forwarded to the relevant management as part of this process.

I would again like to thank you for taking the time to contact us. We value your ongoing loyalty, and hope that we have an opportunity to welcome you aboard Qantas in the near future.


Yours sincerely




Customer Care Executive
Qantas Airways Ltd

 

[JohnK]

Without knowing your personal situation that is actually an extremely poor responsde....

 

[chrissimon]

Without knowing your personal situation that is actually an extremely poor responsde....

We flew MEL-AKL-LAX-SFO and returned via LAX-SFO-SYD-MEL
Unfortunately weren't able to get direct flights so we had to make do with this.
Trying to dig up the original complaint I made but it was in the lines of:

The poor condition of the seat my partner was given on the 734 wouldn't recline, the fabric was coming all off the seat, really unappealing.
the 744 we used from AKL-LAX, on take off water came gushing out onto the row next to us (crew rest area) getting us slightly wet and I informed a flight attendant who told us that it happens all the time with the air conditioner
Our IFE died in our row, reading lights wouldn't turn on and then the remote died leaving us in the dark. Flight attendant said nothing he could do and would note it.

Flight back home, no one wanted to check us in at LAX because of our itinerary, tried the computer and there were no staff to assist us when it required staff to look at it. Boarding passes issued at LAX caused us grief at SFO because it didn't have a magnetic strip.

Arriving into SYD a few QF pax were remaining, my partners bag was on the carrousel but not mine. There were still some QF bags going around and then another flight started appearing. I waited for about 45 mins before I went to go find someone till I found the rest of the bags UNATTENDED just in a corner. Someone had pulled them off and failed to tell anyone.

And to top it off, on arrival in MEL, a bag went missing. So I fired off an email and looks like you get just a scripted I'm sorry response.

 

[wxxnxs]

I have waited over two months to get this response from QANTAS

YES TWO MONTHS

Ref. No: CW/93355370



Dear Miss Annstan77

Thank you for your recent correspondence. I am sorry that you are still unhappy with my response of the issues you raised.

I am afraid that there is nothing more I can add to my previous explanations. While I appreciate you may be disappointed by this, I am afraid we cannot take any further action.

I am sorry that this response cannot be more favourable and trust it confirms our position on this issue.

Thank you again for taking the time to write to us.


Yours sincerely



Customer Care Executive
Qantas Airways Ltd
Address: QCA5 203 Coward Street | Mascot NSW 2020


Also, can you belive I waited one year , yes you read right over ONE YEAR to be issues a $56 refund from QANTAS. They over charged me on an infant fare and it took exactly one year to have the money refunded on my credit card, What a Joke.

As for the above so called apology letter why bother even sending it!

Lift your GAME QANTAS! :evil::evil::evil:

After to read your whole story, I feel sorry about that, this kind of things could happen easily especially in heathrow. From my side, I never fly with QANTAS even I have been here for 7 years, not even once, no matter domestic or international because I know in Australian airline market, none of them are good, so if all of them are bad, why not choose the cheapest one because you know that you won't get the service which you are paying for.

Next time, if you'd like to travel to London, why not choose other airlines especially Aisan ones, they are far more better than QANTAS.

 

[Dave Noble]

After to read your whole story, I feel sorry about that, this kind of things could happen easily especially in heathrow. From my side, I never fly with QANTAS even I have been here for 7 years, not even once, no matter domestic or international because I know in Australian airline market, none of them are good, so if all of them are bad, why not choose the cheapest one because you know that you won't get the service which you are paying for.

Nothing wrong with choosing based on price , a good way to go...
you state that you have never flown on Qantas yet state that they are not good ; how can you know whether they are good or bad if you have never used them?

Dave

 

[wxxnxs]

Nothing wrong with choosing based on price , a good way to go...
you state that you have never flown on Qantas yet state that they are not good ; how can you know whether they are good or bad if you have never used them?

Dave

Hello Dave, good question. I did fly once with them 7 years ago which was the first time I came here, the route was from HKG-BNE, I think I have mentioned once in here. After that experience, I decide never fly with them again, so far I still think my decision is right.

 

[straitman]

Hello Dave, good question. I did fly once with them 7 years ago which was the first time I came here, the route was from HKG-BNE, I think I have mentioned once in here. After that experience, I decide never fly with them again, so far I still think my decision is right.

wxxnxs,

I hardly think a sample of one is a very thorough piece of research to base an opinion upon.

I choose not to fly upon most of your 'Aisan ones' as you put it but that is based upon seat pitch and service offered.

 

[wxxnxs]

wxxnxs,

I hardly think a sample of one is a very thorough piece of research to base an opinion upon.

I choose not to fly upon most of your 'Aisan ones' as you put it but that is based upon seat pitch and service offered.

Yes, I admit one sample is definitely not fair for it, that's why I also concern about the price they charge for, obviously QANTAS most of the time offer higher price than others and the service provided might be just OK, nothing special.

 

[straitman]

Yes, I admit one sample is definitely not fair for it, that's why I also concern about the price they charge for, obviously QANTAS most of the time offer higher price than others and the service provided might be just OK, nothing special.

This is what Capitalism is all about. QF charge more than the LCC for two main reasons:

1. As a legacy carrier their costs a considerably higher than the new generation of LCC.
2. They charge what the public will pay.

 

[wxxnxs]

This is what Capitalism is all about. QF charge more than the LCC for two main reasons:

1. As a legacy carrier their costs a considerably higher than the new generation of LCC.
2. They charge what the public will pay.

Thanks FYI-that makes me more convincing not to choose it.

 

[straitman]

Thanks FYI-that makes me more convincing not to choose it.

.... and the LCC and everyone else charge what they think the market will stand. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Look at TT who are continuing to loose money hand over fist and also look at 'Asian LCC Airlines playing December collusion'

 

[drewbles]

.... and the LCC and everyone else charge what they think the market will stand. Sometimes it works and sometimes it does not. Look at TT who are continuing to loose money hand over fist and also look at 'Asian LCC Airlines playing December collusion'

And LCC often take longer to get there...
Budget flights to the UK spend extra 20 hours flying and waiting | Travel News | News.com.au

The Sunday Telegraph was quoted $1114 for a flight from Melbourne to London via Kuala Lumpur on Malaysian-based airline Air Asia X.

The flight included 22 hours of stopovers in Kuala Lumpur, and departure and arrival times of 1.25am and 12.10am. Both legs of the trip totalled an eye-watering 70 hours.

Wow. That's a stopover.

The same trip on Qantas would cost $1921 and totalled 46 hours return, with brief Asian stopovers.

Asiana Airlines quoted $1558 for the same flight, with a 16-hour overnight stopover in South Korea.

You really do need to look carefully at your asian LCC's. Pricing can bee good, but with add-ons and long transit times, it's often a false economy.

and one flight is not a sufficient sample of anything. Fly QF 10-20 times, and you'll have a far better idea on service. It can be up and down, but generally I find QF's service to be excellent (on-board).

If you want bad service from 'full fare carriers' go to the USA. QF blitz all of them.

 

[straitman]

Thanks FYI-that makes me more convincing not to choose it.

wxxnxs,

Do not get me wrong here, I am not defending QF. I am simply stating why the full service airlines attract such high loads and can charge what they do compared to the LCC's.

drewbles has pointed out some of the disadvantages of your position where as I believe you have not made any compelling argument as to why I/we should become a sardine and squeeze into the confines of a LCC.

The size and travel cost is only a small part of the large package. If extra accommodation is needed to accommodate long connections it becomes a different scenario.

 

[serfty]

Note that travel on Qantas SIN-MEL-SIN r/t curently costs from SGD907 (~AUD710).

Similar flights MEL-SIN-MEL AUD927.

That's selling to markets.

 

[medhead]

Traveling through LCY in August last year, every bottle/container of baby formula had to be opened and tasted by me. Open baby formula spoils and would not last. I did the correct thing and pulled everything out and declared it. It is impractical to split baby formula into small containers as it comes prepared in a larger container and would go off/spoil.

I'm surprised to read this bit about it being impractical to split baby formula. We found that was the best way to travel with children, and using powder formula. This includes many driving trips SYD to BNE, ADL, OLP and flights to europe.

It is a simple matter to take multiple bottles, with or without the required quantity of water in them. Then measure out the correct number of scopes per bottle into little tupperware containers (say 10X25x50). The little containers of formula aren't going to go off on a 18 hours flight. When needing to make up a bottle, fill with water, heat and tip in one tupperware container worth of formula. The main formula tin is taped up and goes into checked luggage, ready for use at distination.

 

[davidj-bell]

There was a post started earlier this week by Simongr about baby liquids.

London airports, LCY/LHR do not make exemptions for baby formula, liquid medicines. Customers carrying these are treated as potential terrorists.

For this reason, I will never again travel with an infant from london airports - in fact LCY's attitude towards my family carrying baby formula caused us to divert our future flights to other european airports - HEL, FRA and MAD. All these airports are very understanding and I can recommend them.

This is nonsense about baby formulae. I've travelled several times from LHR and LGW with a baby and made up formulaes in the bottles. You have to taste everything.

 

[Annstan77]

Just to let others know the matter with QANTAS is closed, and I would suggest keeping on their backs if you want to get results...........!

I had a lovely lady finally call me and apologise for everything that had happened and was told the responses and time frame was unacceptable.

I was offered a $200 voucher to use on further QANTAS travel.

She also contacted baggage services who would contact me in regards to the damaged car seat.

Week or so later and another lady called from baggage services and said if I could fax the receipt for the car seat and my baggage claim form and get a quote for a new car seat she would finalise matters.

I faxed all of the information off and on the very same day - yes very same day a cheque was approved for $360 for a new car seat. The old one had been damaged by QANTAS when they lost it on the way home from London to Singapore.

It took 6 months nearly from start to finish, but I am happy that I got my apology and I am very happy with the result.

Persist with QANTAS and they EVENTUALLY do the right thing.

regards

Anna